concerned me, and by a grave
judicious author, moved me not a little. But tho' I was at that time out
of town, yet several of my friends, whose curiosity had led them to be
exactly informed (for as to my own part, having no doubt at all in the
matter, I never once thought of it) assured me, I computed to something
under half an hour: which (I speak my private opinion) is an error of no
very great magnitude, that men should raise a clamour about it. I shall
only say, it would not be amiss, if that author would henceforth be more
tender of other men's reputations as well as his own. It is well there
were no more mistakes of that kind; if there had, I presume he would
have told me of them with as little ceremony.

There is one objection against Mr. Partridge's death, which I have
sometimes met with, though indeed very slightly offered, That he still
continues to write almanacks. But this is no more than what is common
to all that profession; Gadbury, Poor Robin, Dove, Wing, and several
others, do yearly publish their almanacks, though several of them have
been dead since before the Revolution. Now the natural reason of this
I take to be, that whereas it is the privilege of other authors to live
after their deaths; almanack-makers are alone excluded, because their
dissertations treating only upon the minutes as they pass, become
useless as those go off. In consideration of which, Time, whose
registers they are, gives them a lease in reversion, to continue their
works after their death.

I should not have given the publick or myself the trouble of this
vindication, if my name had not been made use of by several persons,
to whom I never lent it; one of which, a few days ago, was pleased to
father on me a new sett of predictions. But I think those are things too
serious to be trifled with. It grieved me to the heart, when I saw my
labours, which had cost me so much thought and watching, bawl'd about by
common hawkers, which I only intended for the weighty consideration of
the gravest persons. This prejudiced the world so much at first, that
several of my friends had the assurance to ask me whether I were in
jest? To which I only answered coldly, that the event would shew. But
it is the talent of our age and nation, to turn things of the greatest
importance into ridicule. When the end of the year had verified all my
predictions, out comes Mr. Partridge's almanack, disputing the point
of his death; so that I am employed, like t